The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-12
Srecia1 Contributors.
THE POETIC ELEMENT IN JESUS.
BY REV. NJ. D. SHUTTER.
Minneapolis, Minn,)

Carlyle says "Our highest OIpheus
walked in Judea eighteen hundred years
ago. His sphere-melody flowing in
wild native tones, took captive the raw
ished souls of men; and being of q
truth sphere melody, still flows and
sounds, though now with thousand
fold accompaniments and rich symph-
Onies, through all our hearts, and mod
ulates and diyinely leads them. \
Not only was Thebes built by the mu-
sic of an OTpheus ; but without the
music Of some inspired Orpheus was no
city ever built, no work that man glo-
Iies in ever DONE"
Jesus never wrote poem or spoke in
numbers, but there was that in him
out of which poetry proceeds; there
were the veins of Gre, the deposits of
rich material, out of which poetry came
sometimes in shining fragments. Phil
osopher, scientist, mathematician, the
olOgian, he was not. He was not even
a moral teacher, after the manner Of
other moral teachers. ''He spake with
authority, and not as the scribes." He
was essentially poet. He looked upon
life and the world with the inward eye,
and set forth his lessons in terms of the
imagination, rather than in those of
the understanding. without a para
BILE, "a story, a picture, an illustra-
tion,-"spake he nothing unto them"
He never dealt in formal propositions.
This is why the mere literalist must
ever fail to understand him. Who reads
him by the letter misses his highest
truth and beauty.
A more instructive contrast cannot
be drawn than that between the method
of Jesus and what is called systematic
theology. The poet teaches, not by
giving definite information, not by re-
ducing things to terms of exact knOwl
edge, not by logical or mathematical
demonstration he does not pile up
proof-texts or multiply precepts but
by noble thoughts graudly expressed, he
rouses us to purer motives and loftier
ambitions. He gives inspiration in
stead of information. Jesus himself
said THE words that | speak unto
you. they are spirit and they are life"
What could better describe the method
of his teaching? He possessed in su-
preme degree the power Of kindling the
fires of love, and truth, and beauty in
other souls. The heart that received
his word was transfigured.
But let is not anticipate his method;
let us 90 back of his words. Before all
these must be that which makes them
what they are, the life. The life of
Jesus was poem He lived what he
taught and lived it beautifully. When,
upon one occasion, the Jews asked him
scoflingly, "Who art thou ?" he replied:
Even that which [ have spoken unto
you from the beginning" That is, y
am what | have taught" If his words
were true, his life was truth; if his
illustrations were beautiful, his life was
beauty. Farer than any sunset that
glowed in his parallels, sweeter than
any lily that bloomed in his speech,
was the soul from which came parable
and proverb, and from which they came
only because they had there been lived.
Truly has it been said: The life to
which great thoughts and deep feelings
come, is the fountain whence flows the
poetic stream" Again: THE true poet
is the man of his time who is most
alive, who feels, sees, and knows the
most. In the measure of his life he is
the greatest man Of his age or county,"
Thus, Jesus has in his life the true
springs of poetry. Thus it is that he
himself has become a theme for song
His character and achievements have
been hymned by thousands. Men have
loved him and struck their harps in his
praise, because his every deed as well
as word was majestic strain of music
in the harmony divine
Look upon that life in some of its
special manifestations. The poets heart
is shown in his love of nature, How he
used to 60 out from the haunts Of men
into places where Gods handiwOrk re-
tanned its pristine charm. The silent
mountain is his place Of prayer, the
wilderness his rest, the mount of Olives
his fayorite resort, the boat on Galilee